Die taak van die didaktikus aan 'n universiteit

Abstract:

The term "Didactics" as indicating a sub-discipline of Education is hardly existent in Anglo-American educational literature. Likewise the term "Didactician" for one who professes Didactics is also rarely, if ever, used. Even in Afrikaans the terms "didaktiek" and "didaktikus" are not always interpreted in the same way by all. Consequently the first part of the address aims at elucidating the field of study of this discipline and subsequently indicating who the "Didactician" is. The conclusion reached is that Didactics as a discipline concerns itself not only with methods of teaching and learning but also with the subject matter of what is to be taught and learned (this includes curriculum development) and with the milieu or environment
in which instruction takes place, including both social and physical environment and therefore also encompassing the school, college, university etc. as institutions of education and instruction.
The second question raised is the problem of what meaning is contemporarily given to the term "university". After briefly indicating the uncertainty prevalent in the universities' thinking about themselves, the author concludes that contemporary thought seems to see the university as an institution for scientific investigation as well as vocational preparation, with an ever increasing claim that it should also concern itself with the welfare of society.
The concluding part of the address attempts a formulation of the task of the Didactician in the university in the light of the conclusions drawn in the two previous sections. It is concluded that as a theorist the Didactician should concern himself with theoretical inquiry and empirical research regarding the problems concerning the why, the what, the how and the where of teaching at all levels. As a practitioner, on the other hand, he should apply insights gained from theoretical and emperical investigations to his own teaching as well as to the training of others who are to become teachers. A special plea is made for universities to occupy themselves more intently with reflection on and research concerning themselves as institutions, which would include research on university teaching methods and other problems of a didactical nature.